


Socialized

by unwindmyself



Series: curious shapes shift in the dark [85]
Category: True Blood
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/F, F/M, Fix-It, Gen, M/M, Party, agency and choices!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-23
Updated: 2015-05-23
Packaged: 2018-03-31 20:18:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,041
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3991441
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unwindmyself/pseuds/unwindmyself
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Miscellaneous guests arrive at and settle into the party.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Socialized

**Author's Note:**

> Part three, "Love You More."
> 
>  **Original Characters** : Isi Hill, Vanessa Quinones, Antoine Henriques.

“Well, this is pretty normal-lookin’ for a vampire den,” Arlene says doubtfully as the extended family approaches the house.

“Mom,” Lisa groans, “you promised you were gonna be cool.  Jessica and them invited us to be nice.”

Andy shrugs.  “And I’m here as a representative of local law enforcement,” he says, sounding vaguely proud.

Braelyn smiles.  “Yeah, but the thing is, you’re also my dad, so I get to say if you embarrass me in front of my girlfriend and hers, I’m not talkin’ to you for three months,” she declares.  It’s a serious threat, considering she hasn’t been alive for three months yet.

Andy nods seriously, then says to Charlaine, who’s easily the bluntest of his girls, “Keep me honest.”

“I promise, Daddy,” Charlaine says, just as serious.  

Danika skips up to ring the doorbell, holding her dress so the hem doesn’t drag, and she’s barely pressed the button when Eric opens the door and smiles.  In her high heels, she’s almost as tall as he is.

“Good evening, Mademoiselles Bellefleur,” he says with a deep bow, elegant as anything.  “I see you’ve brought the rest of your family.”  As each person crosses the threshold, he greets them in cautious kind, and when Lisa approaches last, he gives a wide smile.  “A pleasure to see you again, Miss Lisa.”

Arlene pulls a face.  “I’m bein’ nice, I am,” she begins, “but you care to explain?”  She’s aiming the request at her daughter.

“Chill out,” Lisa says, rolling her eyes.  “It was when y’all were possessed by that maenad that time, and Sookie was with us.  No big.”

All the adults wince at the mention of the maenad incident; even Holly, who hadn’t been present, looks highly unsettled.

“Well, okay,” Arlene says, patting her daughter’s shoulder awkwardly.  “I want you stayin’ with one of us all night, though.”

“‘Course,” Lisa chirps.  To Eric she says, “My brother is bein’ lame and stayin’ at his friend’s house tonight, if you were wondering.”

“That’s his loss, then,” Eric says wryly.

 

* * *

 

“You sure it was a good idea bringin’ her?” Sam asks, watching Emma skip over to the punch table merrily.  “What if somethin’ like last time happens?”

Luna sighs.  “Maybe it wasn’t but Emma’s been having just as hard a time as the rest of us,” she says.  “If one of us looks away for a minute, someone else will be there, Nicole or Sookie or Lafayette or Tara or Arlene.  Everyone here, who’s supposed to be here anyway, all of them are interested in keeping Emma safe same as we are.”

“Even the vampires?” he teases.

“Even them,” she agrees seriously.  “Besides, if shit hits the fan, Emma knows to shift and run.”

Sam nods.  “Well, I’m sure she’s havin’ the time of her life,” he declares.  Emma, for her part, has found the Bellefleur cousins and is currently twirling for them to show off her dress.

“She is,” Luna says.  “This is the fanciest party she’s ever gone to, and believe me, she’s taking full advantage.  I wasn’t sure she was gonna sit still for me to do her hair, but…”

“Vanity won out?” he asks, chuckling.

She thwacks him in the arm.  “The chance to look like a princess won out,” she corrects.

He smiles sheepishly.  “Well, it’s a good thing,” he says.  “She looks precious.”

“She does,” She nods, pausing to regard him.  “And you don’t clean up bad yourself.”

Well, he doesn’t look particularly at ease in his suit, but he certainly looks nice.

“Had to match my best girls,” he replies.

 

* * *

 

“Miladies,” Isi says, bowing and motioning to let Nicole and Vanessa take the lead.

“I feel ridiculous,” Nicole mutters.  “I haven’t worn anything remotely like this since senior prom.”  She grimaces down at her red gown.

“Lucky for you that I’m an expert in formalwear,” Isi teases, pulling a curl down to frame Nicole’s face better.

“I’m okay with it,” Vanessa chimes in cheerfully.

“Well, yeah, it’s probably old hat for you, movie star,” Antoine jokes.

Vanessa rolls her eyes.  “I had maybe twenty minutes of screen time in three films,” she counters.  “Three Spanish-language indie films made by my grandfather.  Do I go around calling you an Olympic athlete for playing little league baseball?”

“No, because I never played little league baseball,” Antoine counters smugly.

“You know what I mean,” Vanessa groans.

“Whatever it is,” Isi cuts in, “we all four make a very nice showing, and I personally feel glad I can cross ‘attend a vampire gala’ off my bucket list.”

“Ever the optimist,” coos Lafayette, coming up behind them and grabbing Isi around the waist.  “Not that I’m complainin’, it’s cute.”

 

* * *

 

Danielle is pretty sure she’s not supposed to be sitting on the tables in here, but all of the chairs are arranged in rows at the front of the room and she doesn’t feel like walking around mingling like Rikki is trying to do.

“Hi, Danielle!” exclaims tiny puppy Emma, waving manically and grinning up at her.  “Are you having a good time?  I like your dress.”

Danielle blinks.  “Thanks,” she says.  “I’m bored, actually, but it could still pick up.”

“Oh,” Emma says.  “Where’s Rikki?”  I bet you came here together, didn’t you?”

“You ask a lot of questions,” Danielle observes.  

“Thank you,” Emma chirps, like she thinks it’s a compliment.

“She’s off schmoozing,” Danielle says after a minute of Emma’s expectant staring.  “Making nice.  It’s part of this new interspecies cooperation thing.”

“Oh,” Emma says again.  “She has to ‘cause she’s our packmaster, right?”

“Right,” Danielle agrees.  “Whereas I amount to not much more than her consort, so I’m free to schmooze or not schmooze at my leisure.”

“Cool,” Emma decides, though she doesn’t know exactly what ‘consort’ means.  “Do werewolves have coronations too?”

“No, but what we do have isn’t for puppies’ ears,” Rikki announces, coming to join them.

“Hi, Rikki!” Emma exclaims, her smile growing.  She’s got a little bit of a hero-worship crush on the older woman, with reason.  Which means that when Rikki reaches down to awkwardly pat her shoulder, she squirms with happiness.

“Everyone, will you please take your seats?” comes Nora’s voice from the front of the room.  “We’ll be starting the ceremony presently.”


End file.
